Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-06
SWIFT FLYING BIRDS.
The Severe Course of Training to Which Car
rier Pigeons Have to Submit-What Good
Ones Sell For.

The Severe Course of Training to Which Car
rier Pigeons Have to Submit-What Good
Ones Sell For.
"Yes carrier pigeons are bound to be-
come great factor In the delivery
of news. I tell you," continued the
speaker, as he watched the blue smoke
from his cigar curl toward the ceiling,
''in time they can be depended upon, un-
der certain circumstances, with as much
accuracy as the telegraph"
The speaker was Mr.. Fred j. Carter,
the well-known breeder of carrier pigeons,
and his opening remarks were in answer
to question propounded by repor-
| ter.
II am enthusiastic. Well, perhaps
am" continued Mr.. Carter, ''but if you
lived among those Intelligent creatures
and saw them perform almost incredible
feats, you would agree with me. Perhaps
! you would like to visit my pets? 1t Is
rather late, and fear they have gone to
roost, for pigeons believe in the old
adage, early to bed, early to rise, but
we will see if we can not rouse them
up
Mr.. Carter led the way up two flights of
stairs and continued talking.
you know in this sort of weather the
pigeons, like human beings, like warmth
and shelter. In the morning when the
sun is shining they are In hurry to
reach the open air, and dash and play
like lot of children. But here we are"
and raising a trap door the roof was
reached.
''Why, what is this?" calculated Mr..
Carter as he espied forlorn looking
pigeon crouched against the side of the
big coop. ss'Bless me! if it isn't that
bird back again. That shows you what a
carrier pigeon is. I sold that bird three
weeks ago to young man, and this is
the third time he has returned Shoe!
go on" And Mr.. Carter slapped his
hands. The pig -on tapped his wings
and sailed off, Only to return to another
part Of the roof.
"Now this said, Mr.. Carter, laying his
hand on rooted enclosure, the sides of
which were of wire, "this is what call my
yard. In bad weather let the birds in
there, and they can roam about as much
as they please.
West of this ''yard" on the roof stood a
wood en- building, and to this Mr.. Carter
| went.
mo; those are not my carriers. This
| first compartment is for my fancy birds.
The rollers or 'tumblers,' as they are
called, were the first birds I ever kept.
No; they are not used as carriers. Some
scOundrel climbed up into this loft about
a month ago, and stole twenty-three of
my best birds. They took good care to
select ten of my best marked blue, black,
and red saddles. But never mind, we are
here to see the carriers. Entering the
| second compartment, the truth of Mr..
| Carriers surmlse was proved, for every
one Of the flock of fifty two had retired
for the night. The noise of the door
opening startled them, and down they
came flying about the intruders heads.
| Stepping across the room Mr.. Carter
threw open long slide, and away went
one strengthening fellow like a shot
That was the signal for grand rush, and
in less than it takes to tell it the whole
flock, with but one exception, were in the
air. The one which was left behind was
wild and has been lost once for three
weeks. He was re covered in another loft
| and since then his wings had been clip |
ped to keep him at home. Stepping out
in the air again, the flock could be seen
circling around together.
"Carriers always keep together when on
| flight" said Mr.. Carter, "and are very
hard to approach. They seldom alight
last season one of Mr.. Henry Wagner's
pigeons lighted on the edge of bucket
which lady was holding by a we'll. He
submitted to capture, but was shortly af-
terward liberated and returned home to
Roslindale. Yes, pigeons have to be ex-
ercised and trained just the same as
athletes. I will begin at the beginning
and tell you about it. The mother bird
generally lays two eggs on succeeding
days. She sits on these eggs all night up
to 10 o'clock the following day. Then
the male bird takes her place, and he re-
mains on the eggs until about O'Clock,
when the female returns to the nest. This |
gives the young birds the benefit of
mother care all night. From the time |
the young are Matched until they are five |
days old, both father and mother have in |
their crop what is called soft food or
chine This they feed TO the young bird. |
At the expiration of the five days the |
young birds are fed with peas or corn.
When they have reached the age
of 10 weeks, they are full feath
cred, and as large as ever they |
will be. Then they are taken a half
a mile from home and liberated. The |
next day they are taken two miles, and
the next four miles and so on doubling !
/
Now you must understand that these !
distances embraced all points of the
compass from the loft-that is to say, |
north; south, east and west, and the
birds are liberated separately. Why do /
I iberate them separately? To give |
them confidence, for, don't you see, if
| should send them off together the flock
would follow one another, and perhaps
get bewlidered. But to continue with
the training. After the birds can fly the
sixteen miles [ try twenty-seven miles,
but always endeavor so get as near an
air line as possible. Now, take Milford
for instance. Then I try them from
Putnam, Conn, which is fifty miles. The
next toss is Willimantic, Conn, which is
seventy three miles. Next we liberate
them at Wallingford, which is 1O4 miles, !
and so on to four hundred miles. OF
course the long distances are for old
birds. What do call an old bird? Why
one over year old" 'How long does
a carrier liver" ''Well [ can not answer
with any degree of certainty. There is
tumbler up in the loft which is Is years
old, and Ibred from her up to last sea-
son T don't see any reason WHY a car |